Distributed Energy Resource Compliance for Solar Retailers and Installers

Provide feedback on how we can improve the network application and close out process, the resources and support we provide in achieving compliance.

South Australia is leading the world in distributed energy resources (DER) such as rooftop solar and home batteries. We are working to double the amount of solar we can accommodate on our network by 2025.

In order to continue connecting DER to the network, DER is now required to be 'smart' and able to interact with the energy system. This is driving changes to standards and the connections process, requiring new capabilities from the solar industry and increasing the importance of compliance of any installed systems to these standards.

Primary examples of important areas for compliance include:

• The remote disconnection / re-connection and dynamic export limit requirements as determined by the SA Government's 'Smarter Homes' regulations
• Enrolling DER in SA Power Networks' Flexible Exports connection offer
• Power quality settings on inverters (Volt/VAr and Volt/Watt)
• Installation, commissioning and close out of the job as part of the connections processes

From January 2022, SA Power Networks will proactively start working with solar retailers and installers to ensure all systems sold and installed are compliant. Achieving compliance is a shared outcome and something we all need to contribute to. You can read about our proposed actions and important changes to the DER connections process here.

What we've heard

Over the past 12 months, SA Power Networks has been working with industry bodies, manufacturers, solar retailers, and installers about the steps required to meet the DER compliance. This is what we’ve heard:

• The auto approve function of SmartApply is making the application process quicker.
• Having a dashboard in SmartApply helps keep track of applications.
• Not everyone is aware of SmartInstall.
• Commissioning processes for some systems are unclear.
• Customers don’t want to share Wi-Fi passwords making connecting to internet hard.

We want to better understand how we can improve the network application and close out processes for small embedded generation (SmartApply and SmartInstall), the resources and support we provide so that we can work together to meet compliance goals.

Have Your Say

To provide feedback, please review the Information Brochure and:

• Fill out the online feedback form Click Here
• Book in for an online meeting to talk to our team - bookings can be made by calling or emailing us (below)
• Email us at newenergyservices@sapowernetworks.com.au(External link)
• Call us on 13 12 61 during office hours.

Consultation closes 5pm, 28 January 2022.